The
Nicholas Robbins Family
THADDEUS RIPLEY
SOLDIER IN THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
by
Eisa Leiseaux
(Editors Note: The following data and lineage summary was submitted to the Daughters of the American Revolution by Eisa Leiseaux in support of her application for membership by right of her bloodline descent from Thaddeus Ripley of Duxbury, Massachusetts, who served as a soldier in the American Revolution between May, 1775 and January, 1781.
THADDEUS RIPLEY was born at Duxbury, Massachusetts on 15 Oct 1746, the son of Abner Ripley and Abigail Robbins, a great-granddaughter of Nicholas Robbins of Duxbury. (1) On 8 Feb 1770, Thaddeus married Lydia Abigail Ransom at Plympton, Massachusetts. (2) Their children were: Uriah Ripley, Ransom Ripley first, Elijah Ripley, Lydia Ripley and Ransom Ripley second. (3) First wife Lydia died in 1786 and Thaddeus married secondly, Mary Shurtleff on 22 Mar 1787 at Plympton, Massachusetts. Their children were:
Editor's Introduction: One of the most enjoyable and gratifying aspects of genealogy is locating ancestors in time and place. When we are able to answer questions such as: What did my ancestors experience? What did they accomplish? and What did they believe? our lives are enriched. We come to know ourselves better.
In this Summer 2013 edition of The Nicholas Robbins Family Newsletter, Eisa Leiseaux has provided insight into the life of her ancestor, Thaddeus Ripley, a second great grandson of Nicholas Robbins. Between May, 1775 and January, 1781, Thaddeus made many contributions to independence, including participating in a secret expedition. Eisa has also documented her lineage to veterans of the War of 1812 and the Civil War. Through her well-researched and documented application to the Daughters of the American Revolution, she has made a substantial contribution to our collective family knowledge. Well done, Eisa, and congratulations on your acceptance into the DAR.
The second article about our "Kiwi" Robbins connection is authored by Judy Robbins Sutherland. Judy's writing is interesting, fun, and refreshing. It seems her great grandfather Captain Benjamin Conrad Robbins who removed from Nova Scotia to New Zealand was instilled with the same daring and independent spirit as our progenitor, Nicholas Robbins. No less courageous was her father who joined the Air Force and flew Spitfire fighter planes for the duration of the war in Europe and then remarkably continued fighting in Ceylon. Surely, Mr. Robbins is a member of a small minority with such service. Finally, don't miss the picture of Judy's beautiful mother, Coralie Ward Robbins, that is included in the article.
Julie Callahan
Joseph Ripley, William Ripley, Abigail Ripley, Sarah Ripley, Hannah Ripley and Nancy Ripley. (4) By 1795 Thaddeus and his family had settled in Carver, Massachusetts, where the births of his daughters Hannah and Nancy were recorded. He died at Carver on 17 Dec 1831. (5)
According to his Revolutionary War records in the Massachusetts Archives, Thaddeus Ripley originally enlisted at Duxbury on May 1, 1775 and served as a Private in Capt. Bradfords Company, Colonel Cottons Regiment until August 1, 1775. He was next recorded as a Private in Captain Harlows Company on different assignments around Plymouth, including coastal defense. Beginning on September 25, 1777, he served as a Private in Capt. Goodwins Company on a secret expedition to Newport, Rhode Island. He was next recorded as a member of Capt. Partridges Company, Col. Sterns Regiment from April to July, 1778, stationed at Dorchester Heights, and as a member of Capt. Washburns Company, Col. Gerrishs Regiment from July to December, 1778, at or near Boston. Following a break in service, he reenlisted at Plymouth in July, 1780, and served in the Continental Army for six months as a Private in Capt. Bowmans Company, Col. Putnams Fifth Massachusetts Regiment on campaigns in Massachusetts and New Jersey. His Revolutionary War service appears to have been completed on January 30, 1781, the last recorded date in the Massachusetts Archives. (6)
URIAH RIPLEY, son of Thaddeus Ripley and first wife Lydia Abigail (Ransom) Ripley, was born 4 Oct 1773 in Plymouth County, Massachusetts. (7) He married Sarah King at Plymouth, Massachusetts on 1 Jan 1795. (8) They resettled in Paris, Oxford County, Maine later in 1795. (9) Uriah served in the War of 1812-14 as captain of a volunteer militia unit raised in Paris to defend against a possible invasion by English forces in September, 1814. (10) Uriah died at Paris on 9 Jan 1853 and is buried with wife Sarah at Partridge Cemetery in Paris. (11)
HARVEY RIPLEY, son of Uriah and Sarah (King) Ripley, was born 14 Oct 1805 at Paris, Maine. (12) He married Nancy Tobin on 9 Jan 1828 at Hartford, Oxford County, Maine. (13) In the 1850 Federal Census for Hartford, Harveys occupation was listed as Carpenter. (14) By the 1870s Harvey had removed to Canton, Oxford County, Maine, where he was recorded as a resident in local records and in the 1880 Federal Census. (15) Thereafter, no further record of him was found.
JAMES HENRY RIPLEY, son of Harvey and Nancy (Tobin) Ripley, was born in Maine on 6 Jan 1838. (16) In some records his name is shown as Henry Ripley. Around 1860 he married Mahalah Weaver of Franklin Plantation, Oxford County, Maine. (17) Henry served in the Civil War as a member of Company C, Maine 8th Infantry Regiment. (18) By 1870 Henry and Mahalah had settled in Brunswick, Cumberland County, Maine, where Henry Ripley was noted as a Farm Laborer in the Federal Census. (19) By 1880 Henry had remarried and moved to Epping, Rockingham County, New Hampshire, where he was enumerated in the Federal Census with new wife, Sarah F. Ripley, and a daughter from his first marriage, Della L. Ripley. That census gives his occupation as Shoe Factory Worker. (20) James Henry Ripley died on 6 Nov 1891 at Wells, York County, Maine. (21)
DELLA LEONA RIPLEY, daughter of James Henry Ripley and Mahalah (Weaver) Ripley, was born on 10 Jan 1867 at Brunswick, Cumberland County, Maine. (22) She married George A. Johnson and settled with him in North Berwick, York County, Maine. In the 1900 Federal Census for North Berwick, George was listed as head of a household consisting of himself, age 33, married 7
years, occupation: farmer; wife Della, age 32, married 7 years, 3 children/3 living, no occupation listed; daughter Leona, age 6, single, at school; daughter Evelyn, age 5, single, at school; son Oscar Johnson age 3, single, at home; and two boarders. (23) Della died at North Berwick on 8 Mar 1947. George followed on 14 Apr 1958. They are buried together at Hillside Cemetery in North Berwick. (24)
ERNEST OSCAR JOHNSON, son of George A. Johnson and Della L. (Ripley) Johnson, was born on 1 Aug 1896 at North Berwick, York County, Maine. (25) On 4 Sep 1915 he married Laura Gaudreau at Brunswick, Cumberland County, Maine. (26) They later separated and Ernest moved to Coraopolis, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. At the time of the 1940 Census he was working as an automobile mechanic in Coraopolis (.27) He died at Pinellas Park, Florida on 1 Feb 1965. (28)
RUTH M. JOHNSON, daughter of Ernest Oscar Johnson and Laura Gaudreau, was born on 22 Mar 1919 at Brunswick, Cumberland County, Maine. (29) On 3 Jul 1939 Ruth married Elmer W. Paquette at Brunswick. (30) They settled in Brunswick after marriage and were living next door to Ruths mother, Laura Johnson, at the time of the 1940 Census. (31) Ruth died at Greene, Androscoggin County, Maine on 15 Sep 1990. (32)
EISA LEISEAUX, daughter of Ruth M. Johnson and Elmer W. Paquette, was born in Massachusetts and presently lives in Missouri. Her DAR application was approved and she was accepted as a member of the DAR earlier this year. She would be pleased to exchange information with other family researchers, especially those descended from Thaddeus Ripley. Her email address is: eisalisaux@sbcglobal.net
References
1. Thaddeus Ripley birth record: Vital Records of Duxbury, Massachusetts to 1850, compiled and published by NEHGS, Boston, Massachusetts, 1911.
2. Thaddeus Ripley/Lydia Abigail Ranson marriage record: Vital Records of Plympton, Massachusetts to 1850, compiled and published by NEHGS, Boston, Massachusetts, 1923, pp. 368 and 377.
3. Children of Thaddeus and Lydia Abigail (Ransom) Ripley: Genealogy of the Ripley Family, compiled by Henry W. Ripley, published by Stephen Holbrook, Newark, NJ, 1867.
4. Thaddeus Ripley/Mary Shurtleff marriage and children: Descendants of William Shurtleff, compiled and published by Benjamin Shurtleff, Revere, Massachusetts, 1912.
5. Births of Hannah and Nancy Ripley; death of Thaddeus Ripley: Vital Records of Carver, Massachusetts to 1850, compiled and published by NEHGS, Boston, Massachusetts, 1911.
6. Thaddeus Ripley American Revolution service records in the Revolutionary Rolls, Massachusetts Archives at DAR Library in Washington DC and in Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors in the Revolutionary War, compiled by the Secretary of the Massachusetts Commonwealth and published by Wright & Potter, Boston, Massachusetts.
7. Uriah Ripley birth record: History of Paris, Maine, compiled and published by William B. and Silas P. Lapham, Paris, Maine, 1884, p. 711.
8. Uriah Ripley/Sarah King marriage record: Massachusetts Town Records, 1620-1988, compiled and published by Ancestry.com.
9. Uriah Ripley resettlement in Paris, Maine: Lapham’s History of Paris, Maine, p. 711.
10. Capt. Uriah Ripley War of 1812-1814 military service: Records of the Massachusetts Volunteer Militia…During the War of 1812-1814, published at Boston, Massachusetts by Wright & Potter Printing Company, 1913. Note: Maine was still part of Massachusetts at the time of the War of 1812-1814.
11. Uriah Ripley death and burial record: Find A Grave Memorial #43940960, created by Tim & Grace on November 4, 2009.
12. Harvey Ripley birth record: Ripley’s Genealogy of the Ripley Family, pp. 7 and 9.
13. Harvey Ripley/Nancy Tobin marriage record: Vital Records of Hartford, Maine, 1767-1891, compiled by Angela M. Foster, Picton Press, 2004.
14. Harvey Ripley residency in Hartford, Maine: 1850 Federal Census for Hartford, Maine, p. 92A.
15. Harvey Ripley residency in Canton, Maine: 1880 Federal Census for Canton, Maine, p. 88C.
16. James “Henry” Ripley birth record: Maine Birth Records, 1621-1922, Ancestry.com.
17. Mahalah Weaver origins: 1850 Census for Franklin Plantation, Oxford Co., Maine, p. 165B.
18. James “Henry” Ripley Civil War service: American Civil War Soldiers, compiled by Historical Data Systems and published on-line by Ancestry.com.
19. James “Henry” Ripley residency, occupation and family composition in Brunswick, Maine: 1870 Federal Census for Brunswick, Maine, p. 78.
20. James “Henry” Ripley residency, occupation and family composition in Epping, New Hampshire: 1880 Federal Census for Epping, New Hampshire, p. 26.
21. James “Henry” Ripley death record: Della Ripley Johnson’s Family Bible.
22. Della L. Ripley birth record: Della Ripley Johnson’s Family Bible.
23. George and Della Johnson family residency, family composition, ages and occupations in North Berwick, Maine: 1900 Federal Census for North Berwick, Maine, p. 92A.
24. George and Della Johnson, death and burial data: Maine Death Certificates and Find A Grave Memorials # 99629786 (George) and # 99629686 (Della), both created by Lois Tucker on October 26, 2012.
25. Ernest Oscar Johnson birth record: State of Maine Record of Birth.
26. Ernest Oscar Johnson/Laura Gaudreau marriage record: State of Maine Record of Marriage.
27. Ernest Oscar Johnson residency and occupation in Coraopolis, Pennsylvania: 1940 Federal Census for Coraopolis, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Sheet 13B.
28. Ernest Oscar Johnson death record: State of Florida Death Certificate.
29. Ruth M. Johnson birth record: State of Maine Birth Certificate.
30. Ruth M. Johnson/Elmer W. Paquette marriage record: Brunswick, Maine Marriage Records, Vol. 37, No. 33, p.4.
31. Elmer and Ruth Paquette and Laura Johnson residency in Brunswick, Maine: 1940 Federal Census for Brunswick, Cumberland County, Maine, Sheet 3B.
32. Ruth M. (Johnson) Paquette death record: State of Maine Death Certificate.
THE "KIWI" ROBBINS CONNECTION
by
Judy Robbins Sutherland
ANZAC Day today – a very appropriate day in which to write about your New Zealand “cousins”. In case you are unaware, ANZAC stands for Australia and New Zealand Army Corps. ANZAC Day is a national holiday, 25th April, to commemorate the day when NZ and Australian forces landed at Gallipoli in 1915 and fought one of the worst battles (for NZers and Australians) of WWI. It’s a day we remember all those who fought and were lost in all wars. The day begins with dawn parades in most centres, big and small, around the country. Being autumn, the services are often held in very cold, wet weather, but here, in Christchurch today, the weather is beautiful and I’m back in shorts and tee-shirt and I took my two local grandchildren down to the beach this morning – a little too cool for swimming, though.
And now, on with family matters. . .
Cousin Jill Gooden of Vancouver Island, Canada, has recently sent me a couple of books she has compiled with much family history so I am taking historic facts regarding Captain Benjamin Robbins from these. I am sure she would be most happy to share her information. If there are errors, I am happy to be corrected.
CAPTAIN BENJAMIN CONRAD ROBBINS, (4th), 1857-1953, was born Nov 21, 1857 near Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. He came to NZ with his wife and two daughters, leaving three sons at home in NS. Five years later he sailed to NS, via London, to bring his sons to NZ. Unfortunately, he died in London so the boys were left to find their own way to NZ. The eldest brother remained in Yarmouth and the other two eventually arrived in the capital city, Wellington, NZ in August 1875. Son Benjamin (5th) was seventeen at the time.
Benjamin (5th) moved to Hawera, a small town in the province of Taranaki, in 1881 where he owned and operated a successful, growing hardware store.
On November 9, 1887 Benjamin married Jane Ann Ross, daughter of Donald Ross, a successful businessman from Wanganui, a town (now city) not far from Hawera. They had five children – Donald, Conrad (died in infancy), Marie, Stella, and Alice.
In 1907 Benjamin C. Robbins was Mayor of Hawera as well as holding several other public positions; there is a Robbins Street in the town named in his honour. In 1908 Benjamin left Hawera, and after living in Wellington and Auckland for short periods, settled in Tauranga, where he also became Mayor (1912-1915
and 1929–1933) and has a park and rose garden, “Robbins Park”, named after him. He stood for parliament on two occasions but was not elected; however, at age 80 he was appointed to the Legislative Council by the then Prime Minister of NZ.
Jane died in 1950 and Benjamin in 1953. His nickname was “Cocky” which probably tells us something of his character!
DONALD ROSS ROBBINS, 1888–1964: Donald was my “Grandpa”. He married Rhoda Pinches (Grandma) about 1914 and they had four children – Colin, Beth, Ross and Donald (my father). Donald, Sr. owned a milk delivery business and lived in Wanganui all his life that I know of.
I remember Grandpa sitting at his massive wooden desk counting coins (from the milk run) into his hand and watching him for ages, quite fascinated, looking forward to the day when I could do that too. He never spoke much and I was afraid to speak to him. Grandma, on the other hand, had big bosoms and hugged us till we were swallowed up in them!
Their children Colin, Beth and Ross all ended up living in Australia. Colin married a woman (Nan) several years his senior and had no children; Beth married George Jackson and had three children all of whom I am in contact with, and Ross had four children whom I haven’t had contact with since we were children and they moved to Australia. All four siblings have now passed on – Dad being the first in 1992; Beth in 1993; Ross and Colin both died before the turn of the century.